When obesity has put your health at risk and a healthy diet and proper exercise just have not been enough. Atlantic General Hospital's bariatric surgery team now offers gastric banding.
From left: Beth White, RN; Jeannie Mullins, ORT; Dr. Alae Zarif, surgeon; Susan Age, CST; Dr. Jerome Aul, anesthesiologist
Surgeon Alae Zarif, MD, who performs the gastric banding procedures, joined Atlantic General’s medical staff in April 2006. He has been in practice since 1996 when he finished his residency at Waterbury Hospital in Connecticut, a Yale-affiliated surgical training program. Currently in private practice, Zarif is certified by the American Board of Surgery and performs multiple advanced laparoscopic procedures.
Atlantic General Hospital partnered with the Dr. Zarif's practice, Atlantic Bariatric Center, to ensure long-term success of the surgeries through the practice's ongoing exercise, nutrition and counseling services.
About LAP-BAND
The LAP-BAND® System is the first FDA-approved adjustable gastric band for use in weight reduction. It was approved for use in severely obese adults with a BMI of 40 or more or for those obese adults with one or more severe obesity-related health conditions such as Type 2 diabetes, hypertension or asthma.
Used in more than 300,000 procedures worldwide, this simple reversible surgically implanted device has safely helped many severely obese adult patients achieve and maintain long-term weight loss.
The LAP-BAND® System is considered to have less risk than other types of weight loss procedures such as the gastric bypass surgery. Unlike gastric bypass, it does not involve stomach cutting, stapling or intestinal re-routing. Using laparoscopic surgical techniques, the device can be placed around the top portion of the patient’s stomach, creating a small pouch. This offers the advantages of reduced pain, length of hospital stay and recovery period. In many cases the LAP-BAND® System procedure can be performed on an outpatient basis and the patient can return home the same day.
